Filing equipment



Oct. 3, 1933. c. B. cooPER FILING EQUIPMENT Fi1ed`April 3, 1930 12a/vena z' Claude .Coopen Patented Oct. 3, Y1933 Y UNITED STATE-s Parlant OFFICE y? maar,...

Application Aprilr3, 1930. Serial No. 441,379l

11 Claims. (Cl. '129-16) This invention relates' to ling equipment for the vertical filing of papers, usually in folders. Heretofore, in the drawers of ling cabinets, reliance has been placed on an adjustable follower 5 attherear of the folders, to maintain the latter in an upright position. `But this practice is not whollysatisfactory, as it requires too frequent and too accurate adjustment ofthe follower Vto maintain the uprightness of the folders. If with frequent removal and replacement of folders the adjustmentof the follower is neglected, as is usually the case, files will fall over into a more or lesshorizontal position. The present invention deals with novel means to maintain the upright position of the folders, without the need of frequent or accurate adjustment of the follower. Y

The invention will best be understood by reference-to the following description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing of one specific embodiment thereof, while its scope will be pointed out more particularly in the appended claims.

In the drawing: A

Fig. 1 is a vertical, cross-sectional view of a filing cabinet drawer, in connection with` which my invention is illustrated;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section, on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; 30 Eig. 3 is a horizontal sectio Fig. 1; and L vFigji is a horizontal, sectional View on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, andv to the embodiment of the invention which Ais illustrated therein, there is shown aA drawer having a bottom 5, and two side wallsl 6, Vof well-known form, the bottom being provided with a longitudinal depression 7, which receives a channel member 8 40 extending lengthwise of the drawer, and provided with inwardly-directed flanges 9 to receive a usual follower 10. A series of Vertical folders 11 occupy most of the space between the follower and the front of the drawer.

on une 3-3 of "V15 At one or more, herein several points'along the drawer, in accordance with this invention, there are provided members 12 extending transversely of and above the side walls 6, and supported by the latter. Each of these members is in the ,50 nature of an auxiliary follower, which can be placed at any desired point very quickly and conveniently. To prevent sidewise .movement ofthe member 12, the latter herein is provided with two shoulders 13, which are received between the side walls 6, and with ample clearance to permit said member to be moved lengthwise of the drawer without inconvenience. Herein, there is a second shoulder 14 at the outer side of the side wall 6, but in somecases, this'may be dispensed with. Two friction reducing rollers l5', resting upon the upper edges of the side walls 6, are-mounted to turn .on fixed studs 16, conveniently secured to the member 12, as by making the stud bifurcatedto embrace said member, while a rivet 17, extending through the stud and through said member, secures the stud in place. The presence of theshoulder 14 prevents the roller from becoming detached from the stud.V

Upward displacement of the member 12 is prevented by appropriate means, herein an anchor member 16, suitably attached to the drawer below the member 12, as by providing the member 18 with arms 19 disposed beneath the flanges 9 or" the channel bar S. The introduction of the anchor-memberinto itsplace isconveniently `ac- 5 complished in the present example in the manner illustrated in Fig..3, which shows the anchor member in dotted lines in its preliminary position, prior to engagement with the channels; The anchor member is simply turned from the Seo position shown in dotted lines to that shown in full lines, thus bringing its arms beneath the,` flanges.

The anchor member is suitably connected to the member 1 2, as by resilient means, herein springs 5 20, which urge the member 12 downwardly toward the side walls 6. These springs are conveniently attached to the anchor member, as by having their lower ends coiled about the anchor member, as at 21, while their upper ends are conveniently attached to the member l2, by providing the latter with holes 22, through which terminal portions of the Wires arepassed, and then coiled about the main portions of the wires, as at 23. These springs not only tend to prevent up- 5 ward displacement of the member 12, but also to 3 center the latter above the anchor 18, while at the same time allowing slight resilient yielding of the members 12 along the track presented by the side walls` 6 of the drawer. Moreover, the 100 springs render the follower vertically extensible, and thus enable the anchor member to be attached to the lower guide, while the member 12 is resting vupon the drawer sides.

The Vdevice is capable of being applied to the drawer quickly and conveniently by rst placjj ing the member 12 in its proper position, then pushing downwardly upon the anchor member, thus extending the device vertically by stressing the springs, and finally attaching the anchor member in the manner already described. Adjustment of the whole device lengthwise of the drawer can be accomplished conveniently by sliding the anchor member along the channel member. Naturally, the stress of the springs tends to maintain the anchor member in the position to which it has been adjusted.

The number of devices used in the drawer will naturally depend upon the number of folders, and the distance of the follower from the front end of the drawer. If at rst there are comparatively few folders, one of the devices will suflice, but

as the number lof folders is increased, the number of the devices can be increased correspondingly, until the drawer when fairly wellv filled will contain perhaps threeor four of the devices. As shown in Fig. 2, the devices are, in a way, auxiliary followers, which serve as partitions to maintain substantially upright positions of the folders, without the necessity of frequent or accurate adjustment of the follower.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, but without limiting myself thereto, what I claim and desire by Letters Patent to secure is:

1. In a ille, the combination of a drawer having side walls, a member extending transversely of and above said side walls and supported by the latter, and resilient means tending to urge said member downwardly toward said side walls.

2. In a file, the combination of a drawer having side walls, a memberA extending transversely of and above said side walls and supported by the latter, a member adjustable lengthwise of said drawer, below the first-mentioned member, and resilient means connecting said members and urging the first-mentioned member downwardly 'f toward said side walls.

3. In a file, the combination of a drawer having side walls and a longitudinal guide, a member engaged with and adjustable longitudinally of said guide, a member extending transversely of and above said walls and supported by the latter, and vertically extensible means connecting said members to each other and tending to prevent upward displacement of the second-mentioned member.

4. In a file, the combination of a drawer having side walls and a longitudinal guide, and a vertically extensible device adjustable lengthwise of said drawer and. guided partly bythe upper edges'of said side walls and partly by said guide.

5. In a file, the combination of a drawer having side Walls, a member extending transversely of and supported by said side walls, and resilient means urging said member downwardly toward said side Walls.

6. In a le, the combination of a drawer having side Walls, a member extending transversely of and supported by said side walls, a member adjustable lengthwise of said drawer below the first-mentioned member, and resilient means connecting said members and urging the firstmentioned member downwardly toward said side walls.

A '7. In a file, the combination of a drawer having side walls and a channel member extending ylengthwise of said drawer and having flanges directed toward each other, an anchor member having parts disposed beneath said flanges and adjustable lengthwise of said channel member, a partition member extending transversely of and supported by said walls, and tension spring means connecting said partition member to said anchor member and urging said Vpartition member downwardlytoward said side walls.

8. In a file, the combination of a drawer hav ing side walls, a member extending transversely of and above said side walls, rollers carried by said member and resting upon said side walls, and resilient means below said member to prevent upward displacement of said member and to hold said rollers in engagement with said side walls. y Y

9. In a le, the combination with a drawer of a follower device comprising an'elongated member, cooperating means on the drawer and said member for retaining said member in a substantially transverse position relative to vsaid drawer, said cooperating means being disengageable upon removal of the member from the drawer, Aand resilient means mountedV on and extending between said member anda portion of said drawer respectively to resiliently retain said cooperating means in engagement.

l0. A follower device comprising a pair of spaced members, means on one member adapted to engage portions of a file drawer to retain said member in a substantially transverse position f' holding said device in said drawer for slidable engagement on said side walls.

CLAUDE B. COOPER.

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